Thinking Of You

It’s wonderful to be thought of.

Today I received a message from some friends who are enjoying a wonderful time at Disney World.  They took a picture outside the StarTours ride (a StarWars fan’s dream come true) saying “Wish you were here!”

Now, they might not really wish I was there, but upon seeing the ride, they thought of me and thought enough to share the experience with me.

Just a short while ago, I received a text asking if I’d like tickets to a hockey game tonight.  It’s our local team, playing in the play-offs.  The tickets are in a suite no less.  There are extra tickets and would we like to go?

It’s such a good feeling when folks know you well enough to know what you like.  It’s wonderful that when opportunities present themselves, you pop into people’s minds.

This is what happens in community.  This is the heart of relationship.  We know and are known.  We are thought of even as we think of others.

Lest you think this goes one way…

Last night on the way home I stopped to pick up flowers for my wife.  It was the anniversary of our first date (don’t give me too much credit for knowing that…praise the Lord for smartphone calendars).  We got home, surprised the wife and everyone felt good.

The best part of that experience was modeling this behavior for my son.  “Why are we getting flowers?”  “It’s a special day for your mother and me and she likes flowers.  This will be cool.”

And it was and he got to see it.  Though my daughter wasn’t with us when we picked out the flowers, she got t enjoy them as well.  She’ll come to appreciate people in her life that think of her and show her in small ways that she matters.  And I want her to expect these things.  I want her to be around people who think of her.  And I want her to think of others, as well.

So we model it.

And isn’t it funny?  It’s really so simple and easy to model.  We can do this.  We can do it well.

A note. Some flowers.  Time spent playing a game.  A story.  A hug.  Holding hands in silence.  So easy.

Well, I’m thinking of you today.  I wrote these words to let you know that you matter.  You are valuable. You count.  I’m sorry I can’t deliver flowers to you or sing you a song or give you a hug (well some of you I can…watch out!).  But know that as much as I am thinking of you and would love to show you, God thinks of you even more.  God created a sunrise and a sunset for you today.  God is the one who made those flowers I shared with my wife.  For goodness sake, God made my wife!

So even if you don’t have someone you think is thinking of you, God is.  And that is better than any bouquet anyway.  Right?

Life is better together,
Shawn